Hard right Brothers of Italy (FdI)
leader Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday the FdI's pro-NATO and
pro-EU stance was coherent and she would not take lessons from
centre-left Democratic Party (PD) leader Enrico Letta who
earlier accused her of trying to 'put on powder' in an allegedly
cosmetic change from her post-Fascist roots.
She also slammed Letta's electoral deal with post-Communists.
Meloni, who is tipped to become Italy's first woman and first
post--Fascist premier after the September 25 general election,
said on Facebook: "Brothers of Italy's position on foreign
policy is coherent and extremely clear, and has as its lodestar
the defence of the Italian national interest.
"And we don't accept lessons from those who set themselves up as
paladins of pro-NATO policy, but then make pacts with the
radical Left nostalgic for the USSR.
This referred to an electoral pact Letta sealed with the Italian
Left (SI), a post-Communist party.
"We don't need powder for our make-up, while you would not even
be able to cover up your contradictions with plaster".
The PD itself includes former Communists and former leftwing
Christian Democrats.
Meloni, who told Fox News in her first English-language
interview last week that she would be proud to be premier, sent
a video to the foreign press in English, French and Spanish
Wednesday saying there was no nostalgia for Fascism in her party
and the FdI's position in the western camp was "crystal clear",
sharing values with Britain's Conservatives, America's
republicans and Israel's Likud.
"I have read that a Brothers of Italy victory in the September
elections would be a disaster heralding an authoritarian shift,
Italy's exit from the euro and other nonsense of this ilk," she
said.
"None of this is true. The Italian right has consigned Fascism
to history for decades now, condemning without ambiguity the
suppression of democracy and the disgraceful laws against the
Jews.
"For years I have had the honour of leading the European
Conservative Party which shares values and experiences with
Britain's Tories, America's Republicans and Israel's Likud.
"Our position in the western camp is transparent and crystal
clear as we have shown once more by condemning without ifs or
buts Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine and, helping
from the opposition, strengthening Italy's position in European
and international fora".
The FdI has gained in popularity by being the only major party
to oppose outgoing premier Mario Draghi's national unity
government, criticising its Green Pass COVID health certificate
and advocating stronger action on immigration.
The FdI has also been a lightning rod for discontent amid the
cost of living crisis and Meloni has vowed to take back power
from the EU, close borders to creeping "Islamisation" and combat
"LGBT lobbies".
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